Background

Township officials in Mount Holly have been systematically dismantling the Gardens, a close-knit community of row houses that up until recently was home to more than 300 families. Since 2003, the Township bought more than 200 homes under the threat of eminent domain.

Just three days before Christmas, many of the remaining homeowners were notified that they had until January 15, 2011, to accept the final offers made for their homes or they will be condemned through eminent domain.

The Township wants to give the land to Philadelphia developer Keating Urban Partners, which plans to build hundreds of higher-priced townhouses, apartments and a business center. According to Pulte Home’s website, some of the new town homes will sell for in the upper $200s.

Most of the homeowners in the Gardens are in their 70s, 80s and 90s and African-American or Hispanic. Many have faced serious health complications and family tragedies and deaths since the proposal for the demolition of their neighborhood was announced. Nearly all have lived in the Gardens for more than 30 years and are first-time home buyers.

Questions?

Contact Christina Walsh, the Institute for Justice's director of activism and coalitions, at (703) 682-9320 or cwalsh@ij.org.